The Boy Scout Aviators | Page 6

we
went into that war, more than two hundred years ago, not because we
hated France, but to make a real peace possible. And it lasted a long
time.
"Then, after the French revolution, there was Napoleon. Again France,
under him, was the strongest nation in Europe. He conquered Germany,
and Austria, Italy and Spain, the Netherlands. And he tried to conquer
England, so that France could rule the world. But Nelson beat his fleet
at Trafalgar --"
"Hurrah!" interrupted Dick, carried away. "Three cheers for Nelson!"
Grenfel smiled as the cheers were given.
"Even after Trafalgar," he went on, "Napoleon hoped to conquer
England. He had massed a great army near Boulogne, ready to send it
across the channel. And so we took the side of the weaker nations again.
All Europe, led by England, rose against Napoleon. And you know
what happened. He was beaten finally at Waterloo. And so there was
peace again in Europe for a long time, with no one nation strong
enough to dictate to all the others." But then Germany began to rise.
She beat Austria, and that made her the strongest German country.
Then she beat France, in 1870, and that gave her her start toward being
the strongest nation on the continent.
"And then, I believe -- and so do most Englislmen -- she began to be
jealous of England. She wanted our colonies. She began, finally, to
build a great navy. For years we have had to spend great sums of
money to keep our fleet stronger than hers. And she made an alliance
with Austria and Italy. Because of that France and Russia made an
alliance, too, and we had to be friendly with them. And now it looks to
me as if Germany thought she saw a chance to beat France and Russia.

Perhaps she thinks that we won't fight, on account of the trouble in
Ireland. And what we English fear is that, if she wins, she will take
Belgium and Holland. Then she would be so close to our coasts that we
would never be safe. We would have to be prepared always for
invasion. So, you see, it seems to me that we are facing the same sort of
danger we have faced before. Only this time it is Germany, instead of
France, that we shall have to fight -- if we do fight."
"If the Germans go through Belgium, will that mean that we shall
fight?" asked Leslie Franklin.
"Almost certainly, yes," said Grenfel. "And it is through Belgium that
Germany has her best chance to strike at France. So you see how
serious things are. I don't want to go into all the history that is back of
all this. I just want you to understand what England's interest is. If we
make war, it will be a war of self- defence. Suppose you owned a house.
And suppose the house next door caught fire. You would try to put out
that fire, wouldn't you, to save your own house from being burned up?
Well, that's England's position. If the Germans held Belgium or
Holland -- and they would hold both, if they beat France and Russia --
England would then be in just as much danger as your house would be.
So if we fight, it will be to put out the German fire in the house next
door.
"Now I want you to understand one thing. I'm talking as an Englishman.
A German would tell you all this in a very different way. I don't like the
people who are always slandering their enemies. Germany has her
reasons for acting as she does. I think her reasons are wrong. But the
Germans believe that they are right. We can respect even people who
are wrong if they themselves believe that they are right. There may be
two sides to this quarrel. And Germans, even if they are to be our
enemies, may be just as patriotic, just as devoted to their country, as we
are. Never forget that, no matter what may happen."
He stopped then, waiting for questions. None came.
"Then you understand pretty well?" he asked. There was a murmur of
assent from the whole circle.

"All right, then," he said. "Now there's work for Scouts to do. Be
prepared! That's our motto, isn't it? Suppose there's war. Franklin,
what's your idea of what the Boy Scouts would be able to do?"
"I suppose those who are old enough could volunteer, sir," said
Franklin, doubtfully. "I can't think of anything else --"
"Time enough for that later," said Grenfel, with a short laugh. "England
may have to call boys to the colors before she's done, if she once starts
to fight. But long before that time comes, there will be a